Door latch



Dec. 7, 1954 R. R. Tl-:ETOR 2,696,398

DOOR LATCH Filed Jan. l0, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet l hNE/TOR.

' MXWJM 77197 R- R. TEETOR Dec. 7,\ 1954 DOOR LATCH 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. lO, 1951 awry# Y INVENTOR. ZZ/. TQQZLU?? Patented tive to the other, and also tending to hold the manually operable member against release. a

For purposes of illustration, the embodiment of the in- 2,696,398 vention shown in the drawings 1s adapted for use in a 5 door indicated at 10, the door being mounted within a DOOR LATCH frame iii provided wilih a snip rah Tie fragte ii1 is mortise to receive a eeper 3 in t e orm o a p ate Ralph R Teetor Hagerstown Ind' mounted flush with the f rame and having an aperture Application January 10, 1951, Serial N0 205,320 i4 for receivingthe engaging portion of the latch. While a latch embodying the features of the invention may be 9 Claims. (Cl. 292-64) made in various vforms for various types of mounting on the door 1t), in the present instance, it is illustrated as being mounted in a mortise extending inwardly from the edge of the door. The invention relates generally to door latches and 15 As heretofore stated, the latch includes a casing, indimore particularly to a door latch which may be of such cated at 16, which preferably is in the form of a generally construction that it may be operated by pushing or pulling rectangular tube formed from sheet metal. Thus, the on a knob. mortise 15 is merely a simple hole of generally rectangular The general object of the invention is to provide a form corresponding to the cross-sectional shape of the novel door latch of the foregoing general character, which casing 16. At the outer end of the casing 16, there is operates smoothly with only a small effort on the part secured a face plate 17 which extends beyond the casing of the person opening or closing the door, and which holds 16 on all four sides thereof. A shallow mortise, of course, the door firmly closed against accidental release. is cut in the edge of the door 10 to receive such face plate. Another important object is to provide a novel door Within the casing are mounted catch means comprising latch of the foregoing general character, in which the two coacting movable members, one of which is adapted latch is releasable by a relatively small movement of to engage the keeper 13 in latching relation thereto. This the knob in the direction of opening of the door. one member is hereinafter referred to as a catch and is A further object is to provide a novel door latch indicated generally at 20. The catch 20 is of substanhaving a catch engageable with a keeper in the door tially segmental shape provided with an arcuate outer frame to hold the door closed and in which very little surface 21, and is adapted to extend through the aperforce is required to actuate the catch upon closing of the ture i4 with the arcuate surface 21 engaging one edge door, so that latching of the door when it is swung toward of the aperture. its closed position is assured. The other member, referred to above, is a carrier for Still another object is to provide a novel door latching the catch 2t) in the form of a slide indicated generally means which is made of relatively simple, easily manuat 22 and mounted in the casing for reciprocatory movefactured parts and which requires a very simple mortise ment longitudinally thereof. The slide 22 carries the in the door in order to install the latch. catch 2@ with the latter pivotally mounted on the slide,

Other objects and advantages will become apparent so that the two may move conjointly. from the following description taken in connection with in such conioint movement, the slide is movable the accompanying drawings in which: longitudinally of the casing 16 while the catch 20 pivots Fig. l is a longitudinal sectional view of a door latch on the slide. To support the catch 2li for such pivotal embodying the features of the invention and showing movement, the slide at its outer end is provided with a the latch in position in a door and in engagement with a pair of laterally spaced ears 23 between which a narrowed keeper mounted in the door frame. portion 24 of the catch is positioned, the portion 24 and Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken along the 45 the ears 23 being secured together by a pivot pin 25. line 2-2 of Fig. 1. To facilitate the reciprocatory movement of the slide 22, Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on the a pair of rollers 26 (see Fig. 3) are mounted on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.` pivot pin 25 between the ears 23 and engage the adjacent Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. l but showing the face of the casing 16 in rolling relation thereto. door as it is being swung open. The slide 22 Vcomprises a pair of elongated side bars 27 Fig. 5 is a View similar to Figs. l and 4 but showing extending inwardly of the casing 16, the outer ends of the door as it is being closed. the bars constituting the ears 23. Adiacent the outer A door latch in accordance with the invention is end of the slide, the bars 27 are integrally connected by vadapted for a wide variety of uses in connection with a transverse bridge portion 30. Thus, the slide 22 is hinged doors of various types. In the present instance supported in its ieciprocatory movement by engagement it is illustrated in a form adapted for ordinary doors of of the bars 27 with the adjacent wall of the casing. while a house, for example. The latch includes a manually the outer ends are supported by the rollers 26 so that the operable means for releasing it, and the invention is of slide may move inwardly and outwardly of the casing such scope that said means may be of various types freely without any tendency to bind therein. but is herein illustrated as of the push-pull type rather The position of the parts when the door is closed and than utilizing a rotatable member as in the case of ordithe catch 20 is in engagement with the keeper 13 is nary door latches. The manually operable member of shown in Fig. l, `and the position of the parts of the the door latch may also be embodied invarious forms but device as the door is being opened is shown in Fig. 4. is herein illustrated as a simple knob. From these two figures, it will be noted that by move- Broadly, the invention contemplates a door latch comment of the door `in the opening direction, -the engage prising a casing adapted to be secured to the door and ment of the keeper 13 with the arcuate surface 21 of enclosing catch means comprising a pair of movable the catch 20 causes a oamming action on the latter, members, one of which is adapted to engage a keeper tending to turn it in one direc-tion about its pivot 13, mounted in the door frame in latching relation thereto. and `at the same time such force applied to the catch The twomembers are conjointly movable by engagement 7() 2t) tends to push the slide 22 inwardly of the casing, of the onemember with the keeper on opening the lcarrying the catch 20 with it. Thus, the catch 2t) and door, and the one member is movable alone by engagethe slide 22 will be moved to the position shown in ment with the keeper on closing the door. Coacting Fig. 4 conjo'intly so that the arcuate surface 21 of the with the catch means and particularly with the other of catch will clear the keeper 13 and permit .the door to the two members is a manually operable member which open. To facilitate the camming action of the keeper is engageable with said other member to hold it against 13 on the catch, the engaging edge of the aperture 14 such conioint movement to prevent opening of the door, in the keeper is beveled as at 31. After the door is and is releasable therefrom to permit such opening. The swung clear of its frame, the slide 22 and ythe catch 20 present door latch also includes a spring means tending will be swung to the position shown in Fig. l by spring to hold the two members against conjoint movement as mea-ns which will hereinafter be described. well as to hold the one member against movement rela- `On closing the door, only the catch 20 is moved but occurring on opening the door.

'the flange k such movement is inthe opposite direction from that As illust-rated in Fig. 5, .the catch is provided with a curved surface 32 eX- tending from adjacent the pivot pin outwardly to ilitersect with the arcuate .sur-face 21. As the door is closed, with the cat-ch 20 extending outward-ly from the edge of the door, .the curved surface 32 engages the edge closed, the catch 20 is forced outwardly into .the aperture 14 in the keeper by the spring means hereinbefore referred to. To prevent the catch 2t) from projecting beyond the outer end of the casing more .than lthe desi-red amount, the catch is in the other arm ofthe L. Such other arm is bifurc'ated to provide two portions 4). W'hen .the latch is in holding engagement with the slide, it is slightly tilted as illustrated in Figs. l and 5, and the one arm 36 engages the inner edge of the bridge portion of Ithe slide so as to prevent inward movement of the latter. Outward 1s limited by engagement of the casing 16 permits the catch to swing in both vdirect-ions yfrom `its intermediate position without jamming against the casing.

The latch lrn y `be manually released from the slide 22 by means which i pulled, depending upon which knob is grasped, in the saine direction as the opening movement of the door. To release the latch 35, `a pairof lforked arms 41 extend inwardly of the casing from 'the lbifurcated portions 4@ vforked arms 41 embrace a tubular member 4'2 extending transversely within the inner end of the casing 16 and inthe tubular member or sleeve is mounted a rod 43 s'lidably supported for movement axiially thereof. The rod 43 at `its `ends is provided with reduced threaded portions 46 lto receive the parts to `be grasped, which in the present vinstance are illustrated 'as knobs 47.

To provide for installation of lthe rod `43 and .the tubular `member in the door after `the casing 16 has been inserted into yits mortise, the tube `42 and the rod 43 are t0- gether inserted transversely through an laperture 50 (see Fig. l) at one side of the door `and extending into 4the mortise 15. The aperture 50 and a corresponding aperture 51 in the adjacent side sponding aperture 54 Ithrough vthe door at said opposite smaller diameter than the anges 52 so that adjacent the aperture 53 will engage vthe 'adjacent wall of the casing to prevent movement of the sleeve beyond that position. When 'the sleeve is so llocated, an escutcheon 55 is threaded on to the sleeve and abuts 'the adjacent -face of `the door to hold Vthe sleeve CIK operable means coacts with the slide 22 to in position in 4the casing. A corresponding escutcheon 56l vis threaded on -tfhe sleeve -42 'on -the first-mentioned `side of the door. The rod 43 between its two reduced threaded portions 46 is somewhat longer than the sleeve 42 so that the lrod may be moved endwise in the sleeve to release the latch 35.

As heretofore mentioned, the device includes spring means tending to hold the-catch 20 lin keeper-engaging position. The spring means also tends to shift the slide 22 to its outward positionft-o swing the latch 35 into engagement with the keeper 22, .and to move the knobs 47 with the rod 43 into position ready for actuation -to release the latch 35. Preferably such spring vmeans comprises a unitary device, indicated generally at 60, for performing all 1these'functions. 'This vdevice includes a coil spring 61 ooacting at one end with one of the movable parts of the device and at its other end with other of the movable parts thereof. Thus, in the present instance, the spring 61 is mounted .on :a spring supporting member comprising a `rod y62 having a head 63 formed `at one end and 62 lso as to provide a shoulder against which the end of fthe spring `61 may abut.

The other end -of the spring 61 is :adapted lto engage portions 4b of the latch 35. To this end,

slot 6.7 formed in rthe adjacent end of the rod 62. Thus, the adjacent' end of lthe 'spring 61 bears against the tbifurcated :port-ions 40.

With this construction fof the spring means, the pressure of the spring 61 against :the lhead I63 ytends to swing the catch 20 outwardly of the casing about its pivot 25 so that it will engage in 13 when the door is in proper position. The same tends Ito move Ithe slide 122 to its outward position, the Catch 20 being held Aagainst further outward movement by the lugs 33 engaging the portions 34 on the face plate 17 and the ears 23-:on"the slide likewise engaging such portions to limit the lout-ward movement of the slide. The pressure of the' spring 61 yat its .other end against the bifurcated portions 4'@ .of the latch 35 tends to swing the latter about its pivot so .that .it will Such .swinging .movement of the latch 35 by the spring 61 causes the forked 'arms 41 of the llatch `to shift the rod 43 to the proper position for manual -actuation by either of :the knobs 47 when it is desired to release `the catch.

It will be noted from :an inspection of Fig. l that the direction of movement of the knobs 47 and the rod 43 necessary to release the latch 35 from the slide 22 is in the direction .of swinging movement of the door on openby pushing 'or pulling .on one or the other of the knobs n the `normal direction of opening the door, will vbe released for release of the door. When the knobs v47 are pushed inthe opposite direction without swung open, only a relatively small movement of the knobs 47 is required and only a small force is needed to swing the latch 35. When the door is swung closed, the catch swings easily to the position shown in Fig. so that the door does not have to be slammed shut in order to cause the catch to engage with keeper. The parts of the device are all relatively simple and may be easily manufactured and only a simple mortise is required in the door to install the latch.

I claim: t l. Door latching means comprising means comprlsmg a catch adapted to extend outwardly of the edge of the door for latching engagement with a keeper, said catch being pivotally supported for movement in both directions from an intermediate keeper-engaging position, said bodily inwardly of catch and movable therewith when the inward, a manually releasable latch for holding said catch against movement bodily inwardly of the door, and spring means interposed between said catch and said latch and tending to return said latch to catch-holding position and to return said catch to said intermediate position.

2. Door latching means comprising means comprising a catch adapted to extend outwardly of the edge of the door for latching engagement with a keeper, said catch being pivotally supported for movement in both directions from an intermediate keeper-engaging position, said catch also being supported to move bodily inwardly of the door when pivoted in one direction a manually releasable latch for holding the catch against bodily inward movement, and a spring device having one end engaging said catch to hold the latter in latching position and having its other end engaging said latch and tending to hold it against release. f

3. Door latching means comprising means comprising, a catch adapted to extend outwardly of the edge of the door for latching engagement with a keeper, said catch being pivotally supported for movement in both directions from an intermediate keeper-engaging position, said catch being adapted to move bodily inwardly of the door when pivoted in one direction, a manually releasable latch for holding said catch against bodily inward movement, a spring-supporting member having one end pivotally connected to said catch and having its other end in sliding engagement with said latch, and a coiled spring extending about said member and bearing at one end against said one end of said member and at its other end against said latch.

4. Door latching means comprising a tubular casing adapted to fit within a mortise extending inwardly from the edge of the door, a slide supported by said casing for sliding movement inwardly of the casing, a catch pivotally supported on said slide in the outer end of said casing and extending therefrom for latching engagement with a keeper, said catch being swingable in both directions from an intermediate keepenengaging position and being adapted to move inwardly of the casing with the slide swung in one direction and to permit the slide to remain stationary when swung in the other direction, a latch pivotally supported in said casing and engageable with said slide to hold it against movement, a spring device engaging both said catch and said latch and resisting movement thereof, and manually operable means for swinging said latch out of engagement with said slide.

5. Door latching means comprising a tubular casing adapted to fit within a mortise extending inwardly from the edge of the door, a slide supported by said casing for sliding movement inwardly of the casing, a catch pivotally supported on said slide in the outer end of said casing and extending therefrom for latching engagement with a keeper, said catch being swingable in both directions from an intermediate keeper-engaging position and being adapted to move inwardly of the casing with the slide when swung in one direction and to permit the slide to remain stationary when swung in the other direction, a latch for holding said slide against movement and pivotally supported in said casing, said latch having a laterally extending portion, a spring device engaging said catch and said portion of the latch and tending to move said latch into engagement with said slide, and manually operable means extending into said casing for swinging said latch out of engagement with said slide.

6. Door latching means comprising a tubular casing supporting said catch is moved bodily means pivotally and through the forked end of said latch,

of generally rectangular cross-section and adapted to fit within a mortise extending inwardly from the edge'of the door, a slide mounted in said casing and slidable along one side wall of said casing, a catch extending from the outer end of said casing for latching engagement with a keeper, a pin pivotally supporting said catch on said slide, said catch being swingable in both directions from an intermediate keeper-engaging position and being adapted to move the slide inwardly when swung in one direction and to permit the slide to remain stationary when swung in the other direction, a pair of rollers mounted on said pin in rolling engagement with said side wall to facilitate movement of the slide, and a manually releasable latch mounted in said casing and engageable with the slide to hold it against movement.

7. Door latching means comprising a tubular casing of generally rectangular cross-section and adapted to iit within a mortise extending inwardly from the edge of the door, an elongated slide in said casing extending along one side wall thereof and movable longitudinally of said casing, a catch pivotally supported on the outer end of the slide and extending from the outer end of the casing for latching engagement with a keeper, said catch being swingable in both directions from an intermediate keeper-engaging position and being adapted to move the slide inwardly when swung in one direction and to permit the slide to remain stationary when swung in the other direction, the inner end of said slide having a longitudinally extending slot, a latch pivotally supported in said casing and extending into said slot for engaging the slide to hold it against movement, and a manually operable member extending into said casing and engaging said latch for releasing it from said slide.

8. Door latching means comprising a tubular casing adapted to fit within a mortise extending inwardly from the edge of the door, a slide supported by said casing for sliding movement inwardly of the casing, a catch pivotally supported on said slide in the outer end of said casing and extending therefrom for latching engagesaid catch being swingable in both position and being adapted to move inwardly of the 4casing with the slide when swung in one direction and to permit the slide to remain stationary when swung in the other direction, a latch pivoted in said casing and engageable with the slide to hold it against movement, and a manually operable rod extending through the casing transversely thereof and engaging said latch to swing it out of engagement with said slide.

9. Door latching means comprising a tubular casing adapted to fit within a mortise extending inwardly from the edge of the door, a slide supported by said casing for sliding movement inwardly of the casing, a catch pivotally supported on said slide in the outer end of said casing and extending therefrom for latching engagement with a keeper, said catch being swingable in both directions from an intermediate keeper-engaging position and being adapted to move inwardly of the casing with the slide when swung in one direction and to permit the slide to remain stationary when swung in the other direction, a latch pivoted intermediate its ends in said casing and having one end engageable with the slide to hold it against movement, the other end of the latch being forked, a tubular member adapted to extend through the door and extending transversely through the casing escutcheon plates secured to the ends of said tubular member for holding it in place, and a manually operable rod slidably mounted in said tubular member and having a cross pin extending through slots in said tubular member and engaging the forked end of said latch for swinging the -latter out of engagement with said slide.

References Cited in the file of this patent 

